KC Councilmember Bob Ferguson Supports "Marriage Equality"

KC Councilmember and AG Candidate Bob Ferguson announces this morning, he will support the Marriage Equality efforts being supported today by Governor Gregoire. 

KC Councilmember Bob Ferguson talking to
supporter

In an email announcement from his campaign he states:

On Monday, the King County Council will vote on whether to support efforts to make gay marriage legal in Washington State.  Both my opponent and I will have to choose a side on this important issue.

But I don’t need to wait for the vote to tell you that I support marriage equality.

I supported gay marriage during my first campaign for office in 2003, and I will vote to support it again on Monday.  To me, marriage equality is the defining civil rights issue of our time. Any State that denies a committed couple the freedom to marry stands on the wrong side of history.

When marriage equality becomes law in Washington State, the Attorney General will defend it in the courts.

 http://electbobferguson.com/index.php

Publicola has the story this morning -

Governor Gregoire is making an announcement this morning, coming out in support of the Marriage Equality proposals to be before the legislature this session.

TransAlta Deal Poised for Passage

One of the top four "Environmental Priority Bills" has come back in amended form in the State Senate and passed yesterday. A deal has been struck and the environmental community is celebrating a victory for clean air legislation.

Over 500 activists Gathered for Environmental Lobby Day
this February. The TransAlta Bill is one of four
Priority Bills targeted for passage this session.

According to Publicola, the TransAlta Coal Fired Plant, would be phased out entirely by 2025, and partially shut down by 2020. There would be funding to help local communities and contributions to clean energy technology from TransAlta to communities in WA State.

http://publicola.com/2011/03/05/transalta-agrees-to-phase-out-coal-plant/
Sen Rockefeller (D-23) of Bainbridge Is, offered a "striker amendment" with a compromise between an stronger alternative bill offered by Marko Liias in the House, and a weaker version that had passed a Senate Committee. Local lawmakers from the Centralia area had signed on.

Perhaps the biggest news, though: The company has agreed to pay $55 million into an economic development fund starting in 2012 to help transition the community; the plant currently has 300 employees.

“It’s progress,” says Rep. Marko Liias (D-21, Edmonds), sponsor of an earlier, stronger, house version, which initially came with a $94 million fund (and ended the company’s $5 million annual tax break), but was replaced by Sen. Rockefeller’s original, neutered senate version, which kept the tax break in place and came without a clear transition fund or shutdown date.

Governor Chris Gregoire's office announced the agreement yesterday. She said in a statement,

“What a proud day for the Centralia community, and all of Washington state,” Gregoire said. “I congratulate all of the parties involved who worked in good faith, and spent countless hours to achieve this agreement. This compromise promises cleaner air for our future, while providing the necessary time to ensure economic stability, job protection and enough power on the grid to keep our homes and businesses running. I encourage the Legislature to take timely action to ensure this agreement moves forward.”

 The Environmental Priorities Coalition had fought for a strong bill to phase out this coal plant, which is the largest single contributor to greenhouse gases in the State. 


The Seattle PI quotes Craig Benjamin of the "coalition" on the agreement, "“Once in place, this makes a pretty big statement about the Northwest:  We are phasing out coal-burning power plants,” Craig Benjamin of the Environmental Priorities Coalition, told SeattlePi.com."


The PI says this deal shows "gives" on both sides. 

Environmental groups had sought shutdown of the coal boilers by 2015, with a possible extension to 2017.  The accord says the first boiler will go down on Dec. 31, 2020, and the second five years later.

Trans-Alta gets the ability and assurance to negotiate long-term power sales agreements while the coal-burning plant remains in operation.

But Trans-Alta has committed to install, by 2013, new pollution control technology to further reduce its nitrogen oxide emissions.

So it looks like a good season for Clean Air in Washington State!  

Greenlake

The Roadkill Diet Gals

Kudos for Senators Maralyn Chase and Sharon Nelson! 

Environmental Champions (L-R) Sharon Nelson and
Maralyn Chase shake hands at Chase' swearing in this January

I'm christening you the "Roadkill Diet Busters"! 

Publicola has a great review of their courageous efforts to stop the Roadkill Caucus from undercutting the I-937 Initiative passed several years back.   

http://publicola.com/2011/03/04/filibuster-attempt-of-the-week/

Chase and Nelson offered 24 amendments in a Quixotic attempt to stop the undoing and weakening of the voter approved energy saving intitiative. 

I-937.  This tactic is known as "fillibuster by amendment".

News & Politics, This Washington

Filibuster Attempt of the Week

By Andrew Calkins, Friday, March 4, 2011 at 9:40 AM
3 Comments and 0 Reactions

Lefty senators band together to stall bill that would weaken a voter-approved renewable energy initiative. But conservative senators, led by the Democratic Roadkill Caucus conservatives, band together to pass it.

Last month, we reported on a move by legislators to weaken 2006′s voter-approved renewable energy initiative (I-937)—which required utilities to have 15 percent of their energy load coming from new renewable energy sources by 2020 (with check-ins along the way, including three percent by 2012). The meddling legislation would broaden the definition of “biomass energy facilities” so that facilities can count things like wood pulp as “renewable energy sources.”

The intent of I-937 was to encourage new renewables like wind and solar power, not environmentally problematic sources like wood products.

The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Brian Hatfield (D-19, Raymond, Grays Harbor, and Pacific County), ran into a wall of unfriendly amendments on Wednesday, offered by the Senate’s liberal duo—Sen. Sharon Nelson (D-34, West Seattle) and Sen. Maralyn Chase (D-32, Shoreline). Ultimately, though, the bill passed 28-19 during Thursday’s floor session.

Hatfield, a member of the ad-hoc conservative Democratic caucus (the self-described Roadkill Caucus) was joined by eight other Democrats, including Road Killers, Steve Hobbs (D-44, Lake Stevens), Jim Hargrove (D-24, Hoquiam), Tim Sheldon (D-35, Potlatch), Mary Margaret Haugen (D-10, Camano Island), Paul Shinn (D-21, Edmonds), and sudden conservative convert Craig Pridemore (D-49, Vancouver) who teamed up with 19 of the 22 GOP senators—passing the bill to change the voter-approved initiative over a thinned-out Democratic caucus.

Republicans Andy Hill (R-45, Redmond) and Steve Litzow (R-41, Mercer Island) voted ‘No’ and one Republican was excused.

WA Attorney General Race - KC Councilmember Bob Ferguson to Jump In

According to a Publicola Story yesterday the "Afternoon Jolt"  KC Councilmember Bob Ferguson has decided to jump in to the Attorney General Race.  Ferguson is in his third term on the King County Council representing Council District #1.  He twice defeated incumbents to win election to the King County Council in both 2003 and 2005.

Bob and Colleen Ferguson with their twins and Gov Mike Lowry

KC Councilmember Reagan Dunn has also expressed interest in running for
Attorney General.

Clmbr Reagan Dunn and his family

Bob Ferguson has hosted the annual Shrimp Feed in Northgate area for the past several years. It was an annual event that Gov Mike Lowry held for many years and was a popular Democratic Party event.








Bob Ferguson Addresses the crowd at annual Shrimp Feed
 and introduces Senator Patty Murray
photo credit-Janet Way

Afternoon Jolt: The AG’s Race

By Afternoon Jolt, Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 5:07 PM
3 Comments and 3 Reactions

No winner or loser today, just a bonafide jolt: King County Council member Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, will officially put his name in the running for attorney general next week, PubliCola hears. Ferguson would be the first person to declare for the seat now held by Republican Rob McKenna, who’s expected to run for governor.

Ferguson’s county council colleague, Republican Reagan Dunn, is also expected to run.

Ferguson will be a formidable opponent anyone who takes him on. In his first race for office in 2003, he was a door-knocking machine, defeating a 20-year-incumbent, council member Cynthia Sullivan. Forced to run again two years later because the council was cut from 13 members to nine, he beat another incumbent, Carolyn Edmonds, in the primary. (He went on to defeat a Republican challenger with 74 percent of the vote). Dunn has been on the council since 2005.

Their impending showdown to be the state’s top cop could help account for two law-and-order bills filed recently at the council. The first, filed by Dunn last week, would express the council’s support for a controversial state legislation protecting victims of sexual crimes from having to face defendants directly in court. The ACLU and defense attorneys oppose the bill because they say it violates a defendant’s constitutional right to face his or her accuser in court. State Rep. Roger Goodman (D-45, Kirkland)—a pot-reform liberal who often pushes tough-on-crime legislation to balance out his image—proposed the bill after a woman threatened to jump from the King County Courthouse rather than answer questions from the man she had accused of molesting her, who was representing himself in court.

“This young woman’s trauma is a great example of why we must become more sensitive to the victims of sexual crimes,” Dunn said in a statement. “Simple revisions to court rules could go a long way to protecting the well being of victims.  At the same time, more victims might feel comfortable coming forward and reporting attacks.”

The second county council proposal, filed just a week after Dunn’s by Ferguson, would use part of a $1.5 million reserve fund to pay for criminal prosecutions in the King County Prosecutor’s office. “Public safety is my number-one concern,” Ferguson said in his own statement. “Without action … judges may be forced to release dangerous felons awaiting trial into the community because speedy trial requirements are not met. Victims will suffer as cases go unfiled. Defendants may lose access to certain treatment options designed to keep them from becoming repeat offenders.”

Neither Dunn’s nor Ferguson’s proposal has been queued up on any council committee’s agenda.

Is Our Caring for the Environment a Benefit to People?

Environment vs People, Stark Choice Posed by Republican Representative.


It may sound like a strange question.  
To me the answer is as plain as day and a no brainer. People are a part of the environment, every bit as much as trees, streams, clean air and birds in the skies. 


But, apparently Rep Charles Ross doesn't get this.

Rep Charles Ross (R-14 -Yakima) assistant-minority floor leader,
painted the budget dilemas facing legislators in a strange light. According to Publicola yesterday, when he was asked about the Governors budget item to fund Puget Sound recovery he said:

What is your number one priority as a legislator? Is it the people of the state or is it the environment? Our environment is in a tremendous position comparatively to the rest of the states in the nation. We can and should afford take a pass on big environmental programs and continuing down that road of massive protection orders because frankly, the people matter more and are more important to us that this table, I can assure you.

Our message is, ‘We choose the people.’ We’re hoping to see a dialogue that shows ways we can direct money that currently is spent in capacities that are not life and death and that can be reallocated to help sustain those who are the most needy.

http://www.publicola.net/2011/01/12/afternoon-jolt-the-people-vs-the-enviornment/?utm_source=RSS+Feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+publicola+%28PubliCola+%7C+Seattle%27s+News+Elixir%29

So, what do you think? Is Puget Sound an important issue to your community? If so why? Should it be important to all of our state? Is protecting and enhancing the environment an issue important to our state's economic health, to our physical well being?

photo credit - Art Wolfe

We'd like to know what you think!

Maralyn Chase - A Lifetime of Dedication to Social Justice, Good Jobs, Environmental Quality

Maralyn Promotes Clean Water on Earth Day

Maralyn Chase - Working for Jobs, Justice and a Better World

Tampico General Store, Mayfield family business where Maralyn grew up.

A lifetime of dedication to small business. Maralyn gained the values of hard work first hand, growing up in eastern Washington. 

Rep Chase meets with constituents at Town Hall this spring

Maralyn serves on the board of the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce to further her advocacy for locally owned and operated community businesses.   Maralyn developed the entrepreneurial  spirit and  the value of hard work while  growing up in Eastern Washington in a family-run, old fashioned general store.  

She started school in a one-room  country  school house with six grades that her  father and grandmother  had attended when they were young.  Maralyn went on to earn a B.A. and M.A. in Political Science and in 2008, was honored to be  named Distinguished Alumni.

Maralyn currently serves on a national working group of state leaders on energy and climate change working closely with the White House.  She serves  on the U.S .Green Business Council’s    legislative advisory committee for green schools, and the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators  and the Seattle Indian Center.  

Maralyn (left) is a board member of the Shoreline Solar Project.
The non-profit helped worked with the City of Shoreline to
bring about this solar array in the new City Hall project in 2010.
The SSP sponsors the Solar Fest every summer.

Maralyn's family after Patty Murray Rally in front of
Murray  family's original "main street" small business storefront
(l-r) Carin Chase, Norma Mayfield, Maralyn, grandson Chase, Luis Moscoso

What are  people saying about Maralyn Chase? 

There are many outstanding people who are speaking out on Maralyn's record in her District.

Educator: 
     • Ray Carden, teacher - "Maralyn has always been a strong supporter of public education and the teachers and support staff who work there."

Small Business Owners: 

     • Shaun Dale - “....those of us who know her well recognize her work as a reflection of her strong dedication to the social and economic justice she's devoted a lifetime to pursuing and the kind of core integrity that we so often claim to want from our public officials."

Elected Officials:

    • Adrienne Monillas, Edmonds City Councilmember - "Maralyn Chase has always been a strong labor advocate. She has been a champion for Fircrest School and the rights of the disabled."

Media: 

   • Publicola - No-Brainer “Rep. Maralyn Chase is an adamant liberal who will bring some demand-side economics to the stodgy Senate Democratic caucus.”

Environmentalists: 

   • Sierra Club, Cascade Chapter - "Maralyn Chase has been an environmental trailblazer in the House, and will undoubtedly continue in that vein in the Senate. We consider Maralyn Chase to be an Environmental Champion of the first order, and strongly urge your support for her campaign. "

   
Maralyn Tweeted yesterday -

Maralyn tweeted: Come to "Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Celebration and last week of campaign party at Edmonds Senior Center!" Thursday, October 28 from...http://fb.me/KxCj0JHT about 22 hours ago

             

Rep Maralyn Chase, D, Edmonds has
served in the State House
since 2002. She is a candidate for the
State Senate and is the 32nd District Democrats nominee.

Wow! Times Pulls Endorsement of State Supreme Court Justice

The Seattle Times has pulled its endorsement 
of Justice Richard Sanders.

Supreme Court Justice Richard Sanders, made some controversial statements recently, implying
"blacks... [have} a crime problem".

Sanders opponent is Charlie Wiggins, who was endorsed by the 32nd District Democrats.
Mr Wiggins has been championing "judicial independence" as an attorney who practices law and tries cases at the Supreme Court.

Publicola has a brief item on this matter.

http://www.publicola.net/2010/10/25/on-other-sites-seattle-times-pulls-endorsement/

Election 2010, News & Politics

On Other Sites: Seattle Times Pulls Endorsement

By Josh Feit, Monday, October 25, 2010 at 12:57 PM
0 Comments and 0 ReactionsThe Seattle Times has rescinded its endorsement of state Supreme Court Justice Richard Sanders because of recent statements Sanders’ made about blacks having a “crime problem” because they commit a disproportionate percent of crimes—apparently dismissing  long list of social factors, like inadequate legal representation and policing policies, that affect African Americans.

The Times, which pulled its Sanders endorsement yesterday, is now endorsing Sanders’ opponent, Charlie Wiggins.

PubliCola endorsed Wiggins, a Bainbridge Island attorney, as one our early No Brainer PubliCola Picks.

Publicola "Jolt" Winner - Great Pick

Publicola gives its "Afternoon Jolt Winner" slot today to attorney Knoll Lowney. 

They could not have picked a more deserving winner. Knoll Lowney has an amazing record of holding the corporate set accountable. He is a public interest, landuse and environmental attorney based in Seattle. He has taken on the BIAW over the last many years in one of his roles as
an advocate for progressive candidates and the public interest.

Publicola recognizes him for being singled out by the Wall Street Journal in an editorial!

Here's the Publicola Post -
http://www.publicola.net/2010/09/03/afternoon-jolt-13/

Afternoon Jolt

By Afternoon Jolt, Friday, September 3, 2010 at 4:20 PM
7 Comments and 1 Reaction

Today’s winner: Knoll Lowney

The country’s most prominent conservative paper, the Wall Street Journal, felt compelled to write an editorial condemning lefty Seattle attorney Knoll Lowney for his anti-Rossi tricks.

Congrats Knoll.

The WSJ is aghast a Lowney’s successful record:

Mr. Lowney convinced a judge to allow him to depose Mr. Rossi—eight days before the 2008 election. Mr. Rossi arrived at the Lowney deposition to a swarm of cameras, and the spectacle was enough to sow doubt in voters’ minds. True, 2008 was a bad year for Republicans—but the deposition certainly played a role in Mr. Rossi’s defeat.

Remember To VOTE!! TODAY!

Please Remember to Mail in Your Ballot TODAY before 5pm!

Betsey Ross Flag

photo credit-Betsy Ross Foundation

Here are some links to sites that show important candidate endorsements.

32nd District Democrats: http://www.32democrats.org/page/8988

Publicola: http://www.publicola.net/2010/08/17/publicola-picks-our-primary-election-endorsements/

FUSE: http://www.fusewashington.org/actions/primary_election_2010/

WCV(Washington Conservation Voters):  http://wcvoters.org/endorsements

Snohomish County Elections Voter Info: http://www1.co.snohomish.wa.us/Departments/Auditor/Divisions/Elections_Voting/Voter_Information/

King County Elections - For information on how to vote or solve problems about your ballot go to
http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections.aspx

Frequently Asked Questions (KC Elections Site)

• VOTING
• How do I vote in King County?
• What if I don’t receive a ballot?
• How do I fill out my ballot?
• Why do I have to sign the envelope?
• What if I receive another person’s ballot?
• What should I do if I get a call from King County Elections?
• Do I have to vote for every race?
• What is a Precinct Committee Officer (PCO)?
• Why are there ballot measures and races in the voters’ pamphlet that are not on my ballot?
• Who writes and edits the candidate statements?
• Who writes and edits the information accompanying ballot measures?
• Where is the King County Elections office?
• RETURNING YOUR BALLOT
• How do I return my ballot?
• How can I track the progress of my ballot?
• When should I return my ballot?
• What happens if I have sealed or returned my mail ballot in the mailing envelope without the security envelope?

Congressman Jay Inslee's Statement on Broadband Service and Net Neutrality

Congressman Jan Inslee's office released this statement yesterday on the Google-Verizon "deal".
This is something that should concern everyone who depends on the Internet for information and discourse.

Congressman Inslee has sponsored legislation , the Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2009.


The issue was covered originally on Publicola Blog.

This afternoon’s announcement from Google and Verizon falls far short of the net neutrality principles necessary to protect consumers online. I’m disappointed that such esteemed leaders would put forward a policy proposal that fails to protect the very foundation of the Internet’s success – open access for all.  Many of us have been warning for a number of years that broadband service providers would begin to use a lack of net neutrality regulations to prioritize their increasingly diverse business offerings and content, thereby jeopardizing open Internet access.  Today’s announcement is one more reason that the FCC must act to reclassify broadband and protect consumers online.  The American people deserve nothing less than a free and open Internet where ideas and innovation are allowed to flourish, and today’s proposal has made it even clearer that we cannot rely on industry alone to do just that.

32nd District Politics

According to Publicola Blog, Rep. Ruth Kagi

is NOT planning to run for the St Senate seat vacated by Sen. Darlene Fairley.  In a short news item today in "Morning Fizz", there was first a statement made that Kagi would run against Maralyn Chase for the seat. Chase has already declared a week ago that she is running for State Senate.

But there is now a correction, stating -

Editor’s note. Our original Item No. 2 reported that Democratic State Rep. Ruth Kagi  was squaring off with  Democratic State Rep. Maralyn Chase to replace retiring State Sen. Darlene Fairley (D-32, Snohomish). We were wrong. Only Chase has declared. Kagi is not running. We have removed that report.

We appreciate the responsiveness of Publicola in this fast moving climate and the service it provides to get information out quickly. This is the power of the blogosphere and the new journalism that is inventing itself with great energy and innovation. Publicola is providing an entertaining and valuable news service for the Seattle area.

Tonite, Cindy Ryu, former Shoreline Mayor is making an announcement at a reception at Nara Bistro in Shoreline about her plans to run for the Maralyn Chase seat. (see post below for more information).